Two-thirds of Bangladesh is less than five metres above sea level. It is part of the world’s largest active delta that discharges the mighty Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems into the Bay of Bengal.
The vital role it played in historical British trade routes and its inclusion in China’s Belt and Road Initiative reflect its importance to the global economy.
This role is now under threat as the effects of climate change combine with the building of a number of coal-fired power stations on ecologically sensitive coastal land to cause environmental damage with the potential to affect global supply chains.
Along the coast, Cox’s Bazar, the fishing port and Bangladesh’s tourism centre, boasts the world’s longest natural sea beach, a biodiversity hotspot that is home to the spoon-billed sandpiper.
